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Blue Envelope donates $1,300 for 15-lead ECG harnesses

The 15-lead ECGs, purchased by donations from the Blue Envelope Fund, will help us more quickly diagnose a certain type of heart attack.

Wyoming Medical Center would like to thank the Blue Envelope Health Fund for its generous support of heart attack patients in our hospital. Blue Envelope donated $1,344for the purchase of 15-lead Electrocardiogram (or ECGs) harnesses to more quickly diagnose a certain type of heart attack.

Health providers use an ECG to diagnose a STEMI heart attack (ST elevated Myocardial Infarction). STEMIs are among the most serious of heart attacks and require immediate treatment. The American College of Cardiology recommends that healthcare providers obtain an ECG within 10 minutes of medical contact for anyone with chest pain. The ECG is vital in showing us if the patient is having a STEMI and needs to be emergently transferred to the heart catheterization lab to open the blocked coronary artery.

A 12-lead ECG printout showing the electrical activity of the heart.

“Unfortunately, standard 12-lead ECG cannot diagnosis all STEMIs,” said Mica Elmore, Cardiovascular Service Line Coordinator and a registered nurse at Wyoming Medical Center.

A posterior STEMI can only be seen by performing a posterior ECG. While WMC has modified its existing ECG cables to perform a posterior ECG if a patient continues to have chest pain, it takes time. And time is vital in treating STEMI patients.

“The more time the patient is having a heart attack, and the more time trying to diagnose it, the higher the risk the patient has for heart damage or death,” Elmore said. “The 15-lead ECGs, purchased from Blue Envelope’s donation, will allow caregivers to perform a 12-lead ECG and posterior ECG simultaneously, allowing us to quickly identify and treat patients having posterior STEMIs.”

The 15-lead ECGs will be used not only in the emergency room, but also on hospital floors. WMC has a Code Heart process in place to quickly identify and treat patients who are having a STEMI who are already in the hospital for another illness.

“The Blue Envelope Health Fund has supported the health of people in Natrona County since 1958,” said Mark L. Bower, of Blue Envelope. “Providing funding for the 15-Lead ECG leads is an important step in providing a high level of diagnosis and care for people suffering the effects of a posterior MI. Blue Envelope is honored to be a part of this process.”